Imagine this: you’ve finally planned a getaway trip to a place you’ve always wanted to go to. Everything seems to be perfect, till you see the cost. What ruins it further is that you simply don’t have the money to pay for a holiday as you just didn’t save enough through the year!

This article will be starting small and micro-managing your expenses. A lot of unnecessary daily expenses can be done away with, so that your savings get a boost, and your dream holiday becomes a reality!

1. Look at your phone plan!

Your phone bill may be the most innocuous looking white elephant in your life. Make it a point to run through the fine print in your phone plan, and ensure that it suits your usage. Do you tend to text a lot? Do you have a smartphone that requires data? Do you tend to make calls overseas? Make sure that you account for them with suitable plans. Moreover, get rid of the unnecessary flab as well. If you don’t need a certain plan, stop turning a blind eye to it and get rid of it soon!

2. Optimize your utility bills

Utility bills may be at the back of your mind all month apart from when you need to pay them, but they can be reduced with some precautions! In case you tend to have steep energy bills, try using your AC a little lesser. If you have an old desktop/TV with a traditional cathode ray tube monitor, get it replaced by an LCD/TFT screen when you can! Don’t be shaken by the initial investment, as you can’t be penny wise and pound foolish, can you? CRT monitors, air conditioners, etc. are massive power guzzlers, so use them with care! Use energy efficient lighting and open your window more often!

3. Public transport is useful!

If your means of commuting to work every day is a car or any other form of personal transportation, be rest assured that you stand to save a lot of money if you take the subway or bus instead. Gas prices have escalated, and shot well through the roof. You can save an immense amount of money if you just buy a monthly pass for the subway instead!

4. Handle ATMs with care!

If you tend to withdraw your money frequently, you’ve been to the ATM in your neighbourhood for long enough to know every inch of it. But there’s a catch there! Inter-bank ATM transactions, id est. the money you withdraw from a bank other than your own, have substantial surcharge fees. It doesn’t hurt to pay that when you’re in a hurry. However, your need for convenience shouldn’t make you pay too much, should it? In case your bank does not have any ATMs near your house or your office, switch to a bank with the most ATMS around you.

This article has dealt with some very basic steps of micromanaging your finances. But don’t take them lightly! Think of each cent saved as an investment into your dream. You will be able to live it sometime surely enough!